FYE 101 - What is Art For?: The Power of Composition in Drawing and Design

WHAT IS ART FOR? Why do we create art? Does it have a broader social or political purpose beyond personal self-expression? In this FYE, we will focus as much on process as we do on finished product, to see how the creative disciplines of art writing, image making, and performance are connected modes of thinking, each with its own means for connecting to audiences. To write, make and perform are interrelated modes of communication with histories that inform each other. One commonality in the creative processes for each is that research is required to bring ideas to concrete fruition. Any writer, practicing artist, or performer working in the 21st century is keenly aware of historical precedents for their work. It’s where artists and writers locate voices, ideas, and purpose. This FYE team is taught by an art historian/museum curator, a visual artist, and a performance artist. Collectively, we will work in teams to create original work in multiple formats, as part of a sustained and specific response to historical objects from Wheaton’s Permanent Collection. Students will work collaboratively to give these objects multiple voices, both historical or imagined.

POWER OF COMPOSITION IN DRAWING AND DESIGN: Drawing is a human activity that can serve many purposes – recording observations, objects or events; sketching ideas; expressing feelings, dreams, or perceptions. It is a powerful tool that can increase our awareness of both our inner and outer world. Through drawing, we can make visible our thoughts. Design is the creative process of organizing visual information in such a way that reinforces meaning and enhances expression. The synthesis of drawing and design is a fundamental foundation for any of the visual arts. In this seminar, we will practice the art of “slow looking” (drawing) and how to make connections between disparate parts and organize them into visually aesthetic messages (design) – to reveal our individual voices and deepen our understanding of the world; in short, to become innovative thinkers and more creative human beings.

Credits 1

Compass Attributes
First Year Experience